Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2007-08: Steven Anthony saw limited ice time in his first QMJHL season on a high-scoring Saint John Sea Dogs team. In 55 games he scored 6 goals with 8 assists and was an even plus/minus with 38 PMs. Anthony skated in 10 of 14 playoff games as the Sea Dogs reached the third round and was -1 with 1 goal and 1 assist.

2008:09: Highly-regarded when he entered the QMJHL as a 16-year-old, Anthony assumed a larger role for Saint John and showed glimpses of his potential following the mid-season trade of leading scorer Chris DiDomenico to Drummondville. Anthony was the Sea Dogs' third leading scorer with 19 goals and 29 assists and was -19 with 47 PMs in 67 regular season games. He scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was an even plus/minus with 4 PMs in the playoffs as the Sea Dogs were swept in four games by Cape Breton. Ranked 184th amongst North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings, Anthony was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh round (187th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft.

2009-10: Anthony assumed a two-way, defensive forward role in his third season with Saint John as the Sea Dogs finished with the league's top record. Offensively, he chipped in 18 goals with 23 assists. He finished a much-improved +19 with 28 PMs as Saint John won 53 of 68 games. A groin injury limited him to just five games in the playoffs as the Sea Dogs reached the QMJHL Finals. He had no points and was -2 with 6 PMs in the post-season.

2010-11: Anthony was the fifth-leading scorer for a dominant Saint John team that rolled through the QMJHL and captured the Memorial Cup. In 61 games during the regular season Anthony scored 23 goals with 37 assists and was +35 with 23 PMs. Anthony skated in 14 playoff games, suffering a shoulder injury in Game 1 of the final series, and was +4 with 5 goals, 7 assists and 12 PMs. He played in one game at the Memorial Cup and had no points with 2 PMs.

2011-12: Signed to an entry-level contract by the Canucks in May 2011, Anthony skated for Vancouver's ECHL affiliate Kalamazoo as a 20-year-old in an injury-filled first pro season. He played in 34 games for the K-Wings, spending some time with AHL Chicago (though he did not appear in any games) and missed 20 games after suffering an injury in January. He finished with 8 goals and 12 assists and was plus-eight with 28 penalty minutes. Anthony missed the ECHL playoffs while recovering from the effects of an illegal hit to the head by the Chicago Express' Devin DiDiomete.

2012-13: Anthony returned from his concussion issues to play 41 games for the ECHL's Kalamazoo Wings – missing time in January and February due to injury. He scored 3 goals with 8 assists and was -6 with 10 penalty minutes. Kalamazoo finished four points behind Greenville for the final playoff spot.

Talent Analysis

More of a playmaker than a scorer, Anthony has the ability to thread a pass to wherever it needs to go, but questions abound about his work ethic.

Future

Will likely start the season with the Utica Comets, but the mercurial Anthony will likely split the season with Kalamazoo as well. Being able to stay healthy will go a long way in determining if he will lock up a roster spot with the Comets.

Anthony was dealt by the Vancouver Canucks along with Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Jacob Markstrom and Shawn Matthias in March of 2014.

Photo: Center Jordan Schroeder, selected 22nd overall in 2009, recently returned to the Canucks lineup after recovering from an ankle injury (courtesy of Bob Frid/Icon SMI)

Things were certainly looking up in Vancouver during the 2008-09 campaign, especially considering the note they ended the 2007-08 season with. After failing to make the playoffs, the Canucks bounced back to secure the third seed in the Western Conference.

Photo: Swedish defenesman Henrik Tommernes, playing in his first season in North America, ranks second in defensive scoring for Vancouver’s AHL affiliate in Utica (courtesy of Bob Frid/Icon SMI)

The inaugural season for the Vancouver CanucksAHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, has indeed been a challenging one. Although the Comets have had some good wins over the last month, they still have dubious distinction of having the fewest standings points in the AHL.

Photo: The second of two Canucks selections in the first round of the 2013 NHL Draft, Hunter Shinkaruk had a strong showing in preseason play before returning to Medicine Hat (courtesy of Derek Leung/Getty Images)

In what some prognosticators are dubbing the most significant draft since the Sedins were drafted in 1999, the Canucks addressed multiple areas of concern, specifically their forward depth, during the 2013 NHL Draft.

Photo: Vancouver forward Jordan Schroeder earned his first substantial NHL time in 2012-13, shoring up the Canucks depth down the middle when injuries knocked Ryan Kesler and Manny Malhotra out of the lineup (courtesy of Dustin Bradford/Icon SMI)

Although it may seem that the Hockey’s Future writing staff are constantly critiquing and evaluating NHL team prospects, there is a flip-side as well. We always strive to give credit where it’s due, and this portion is a tip of the hat to Vancouver Canucks prospects in their endeavors to reach the acme of their profession. Based on their efforts from the 2012-13 season, the following is in acknowledgment of that pursuit.

Photo: Defenseman Chris Tanev has been one of the best blueliners at both ends of the rink for the Chicago Wolves thus far in 2012-13. (courtesy of Zuma Press/Icon SMI)

Considering that the Chicago Wolves have played the fewest games in their conference to this point in the 2012-13 season, they are enjoying a modicum of success. Though currently sitting in 10th spot, the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks is still within striking distance of a top five seeding.